The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law CUA Law Scholarship Repository Scholarly Articles and Other Contributions Faculty Scholarship 2013 On "Unease" and "Idealism": Reflections on opeP Benedict XVI's Educating Young People in Justice and Peace and Its Message for Law Teachers Lucia A. Silecchia The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.edu/scholar Part of the Legal Education Commons, and the Religion Law Commons Recommended Citation Lucia A. Silecchia, On "Unease" and "Idealism": Reflections on opeP Benedict XVI's Educating Young People in Justice and Peace and Its Message for Law Teachers, 27 NOTRE DAME J. L. ETHICS & PUB. POL'Y 569 (2013). This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty Scholarship at CUA Law Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Scholarly Articles and Other Contributions by an authorized administrator of CUA Law Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ON "UNEASE" AND "IDEALISM": REFLECTIONS ON POPE BENEDICT XVI's EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE IN JUSTICE AND PEACE AND ITS MESSAGE FOR LAW TEACHERS LUCIA A. SILECCHIA* In the past several months, much has been said and written about the legacy of Pope Benedict XVI after he announced his decision to "renounce the ministry of the Bishop of Rome, Suc- cessor of St. Peter,"' and enter into a life of prayer "hidden from the world."2 Some of this attention has been directed toward an appreciation of Pope Benedict XVI's contributions to thought on Catholic education.' However, little attention has been paid to a short but passionate message that has much to inspire all involved in education-and, in a particular way, much to teach those whose life's work lies in legal education. Last year, Pope Benedict XVI identified "unease" and "ideal- ism" as the twin concerns of today's young-their unease with our imperfect world, coupled with an idealism that they may help build, for the future, "a society with a more human and fraternal face."' * Professor of Law, The Catholic University of America, The Columbus School of Law (Washington, D.C.). 1. Pope Benedict XVI, Declaratio,VATICAN: THE HOLY SEE (Feb. 10, 2013), http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict-xvi/speeches/2013/february/ documents/hfLben-xvi_spe_2013021 1_declaratio_en.html. 2. Pope Benedict XVI, Address of His Holiness Pope Benedict XV, Meeting with the ParishPriests and Clergy of Rome, VATICAN: THE HOLY SEE (Feb. 14, 1013), http://www.vatican.va/holy-father/benedictxvi/speeches/2013/february/ documents/hf benxvi-spe_20130214_clero-roma_en.html. 3. See generally Pope Benedict XVI, A REASON OPEN TO GOD: ON UNIVERSI- TIES, EDUCATION AND CULTURE (J. Steven Brown, ed.) (forthcoming 2013) (a collection of Pope Benedict's Writings on Catholic higher education); Tim Drake, Symposium: Pope Benedict XVTs Legacy on Catholic HigherEducation, CARDi- NAL NEWMAN Soc'y (Feb. 27, 2013), http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org/ CatholicEducationDaily/DetailsPage/tabid/102/ArticlelD/1 984/Symposium- Pope-Benedict-XVI's-Legacy-on-Catholic-Higher-Education.aspx. 4. Pope Benedict XVI, Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the Cele- bration of the World Day of Peace: Educating Young People injustice and Peace, VATI- CAN: THE HOLY SEE (Jan. 1, 2012), http://www.vatican.va/holy-father/ benedict..xvi/messages/peace/documents/hf ben-xvi-mes_20111208_xlv- world-day-peace-en.html [hereinafter Educating Young People]. More recently, Pope Benedict XVI reiterated his understanding of the uneasy relationship between youth and the world. See Pope Benedict XVI, Meeting with Young People: 569 570 NOTRE DAME JOURNAL OF LAW, ETHICS & PUBLIC POLICY [Vol. 27 This insight into the mind of the young was beautifully cap- tured in Pope Benedict XVI's 2012 Message for the World Day of Peace, entitled Educating Young People injustice and Peace ("Educat- ing Young People").' Each New Year's Day, it is traditional for the papal World Day of Peace Message to identify a threat to peace and to offer reflections as to how all people of good will might respond to that threat so as to build a more peaceful, hope-filled world.' Some of the annual Messages have garnered much atten- tion because they address, with particularity, a timely high profile issue or controversy and may make specific recommendations as to how that challenge might be addressed.' Address of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, VATICAN: THE HOLY SEE (Sept. 15, 2012), http://www.vatican.va/holy father/benedictxvi/speeches/2012/sep- tember/documents/hf ben-xvispe-20120915_giovani-en.html ("I am aware of the difficulties which you face daily on account of instability and lack of security, your difficulties in finding employment and your sense of being alone and on the margins. In a constantly changing world you are faced with many serious challenges."). 5. Educating Young People, supra note 4. 6. The tradition of the annual World Day of Peace Message is a long- standing one. "By initiative of Pope Paul VI, beginning in 1968, the Church celebrates the first day of the year as the World Day of Peace. The same Pontiff started the tradition of writing annual Messages that deal with the theme cho- sen for each World Day of Peace." PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE & PEACE, COMPENDIUM OF THE SOCIAL DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH 1 99 (2d ed. 2005) [hereinafter COMPENDIUM]; see also id. 99 ("These Messages expand and enrich the corpus of the Church's social doctrine."); id. 520 ("The World Days of Peace are particularly intense moments of prayer for peace and for the com- mitment to build a world of peace.... The Papal Messages on these annual occa- sions represent a rich source for the renewal and development of the Church's social doctrine and show the Church's constant pastoral activity aimed at the promo- tion of peace.") (emphasis in original). 7. During the years of his pontificate, Pope Benedict XVI used the occa- sion of the World Day of Peace to issue statements on a broad array of topics, as easily evidenced by the varied titles of his Messages. The Messages included: Pope Benedict XVI, Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVIfor the Celebration of the World Day of Peace: Blessed Are the Peacemakers,VATICAN: THE HOLY SEE (Jan. 1, 2013), http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict-xvi/messages/peace/doc- uments/hf ben-xvi-mes_20121208_x1vi-world-day-peace-en.html [hereinafter Blessed Are the Peacemakers]; Pope Benedict XVI, Message of His Holiness Benedict XVIfor the Celebration of the World Day of Peace: Religious Freedom, the Path to Peace, VATICAN: THE HOLY SEE (Jan. 1, 2011), http://www.vatican.va/holy.father/ben- edict xvi/messages/peace/documents/hf ben-xvi mes_20101208_xliv-world- day-peace-en.html; Pope Benedict XVI, Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace: If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation, VATICAN: THE HOLY SEE (Jan. 1, 2010), http://www.vatican.va/holy- father/benedict-xvi/messages/peace/documents/hf ben-xvi-mes 20091208 xliii-world-day-peaceen.html; Pope Benedict XVI, Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace: Fighting Poverty to Build Peace, VATICAN: THE HOLY SEE (Jan. 1, 2009), http://www.vatican.va/holy father/benedictxvi/messages/peace/documents/hf ben-xvimes_20081208 2013] ON "UNEASE" AND "IDEALISM" 571 Since it was proclaimed, however, the 2012 Message has- quite unfortunately-failed to attract as much press or popular attention as some of its predecessors. This may well be because it did not focus specifically on any of the obviously high-profile threats to world peace, sadly abundant as they may be. Instead, the 2012 theme was "Educating Young People in Justice and Peace."' This theme was a refreshing and timely one. It focused not so much on a problem or threat but, instead, turned its gaze to the most promising response to such threats: the education of today's young men and women in the pursuit of genuine justice and lasting peace.' The theme is one that should be of interest to all; but, in a particular way, it speaks to those who have been blessed with a vocation to teach.'o In introducing the broad obligations of all educators, Pope Benedict XVI said: xlii-world-day-peace-en.html; Pope Benedict XVI, Message of His Holiness Bene- dict XVIfor the Celebrationof the World Day ofPeace: The Human Family, a Community of Peace, VATICAN: THE HOLY SEE (Jan. 1, 2008), http://www.vatican.va/holy father/benedict.xvi/messages/peace/documents/hf ben-xvimes20071208 xli-world-day-peaceen.html; Pope Benedict XVI, Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace: The Human Person, the Heart of Peace, VATICAN: THE HOLY SEE (Jan. 1, 2007), http://www.vatican.va/ holyfather/benedict xvi/messages/peace/documents/hf ben-xvimes_2006 1208_xl-world-day-peace-en.html; and Pope Benedict XVI, Message of His Holi- ness Benedict XVI for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace: In Truth, Peace, VATI- CAN: THE HOLY SEE (Jan. 1, 2006), http://www.vatican.va/holyfather/ benedict .xvi/messages/peace/documents/hf benxvi mes_20051v213_xxxix- world-day-peace-en.html. 8. See Educating Young People, supra note 4. 9. See Canon Liam Slattery, Creating Peace and justice, THE CITIZEN GLOUCESTERSHIRE (Jan. 14, 2012), http://citizen.gloucestershire.vlex.co.uk/ vid/canon-slattery-parish-priest-peter-385938668 ("Pope Benedict chose the theme in the conviction that young people, with their enthusiasm and idealism, can offer new hope to the world today."); and Cindy Wooden, Teaching Young About Human Dignity Promotes Peace,justice Pope Says, CATHOLIC NEWS SERV.